Aircraft



H. M. FRANZEN.-

' AlRCRAFT. APPLICATION FILED JAN." 30| 1920} 1,370,73 I Paelited Mar. 8,1921.

SH-EETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

X 'BY TTORNEY H MULFRANZEPL AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.301 1920.

Patented; Man. 8, 192 n 3 S'HEETSSHEET 2.

. INVENTOR. flemfiMfimzen ATTORNEY H. M. FRANZEN.

AIRCRAFT.

APPLlCATION FILED JAN. 30, 1920.

? Patented Man's, 1921.

3SHEETSSHEET 3.,

Mkm ATTORNEY HENRY FRANZEN, OF SELFIA, CALIFORNIA.

AIRCRAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed January 30, 1920. Serial No. 355,049.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. FRANZEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Selma. in the county of Fresno, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aircraft; and I do declare the following to be a full. clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked there on, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in aircraft, and particularly to the heavierthan-air type commonly known as aeroplanes. The principal object of the invention is to devise an aeroplane preferably of the rons and tail rudders such as are usually yet one which will be exceedingly efiective tandem or double biplane type in which the propulsive means is so arranged that the aeroplane will have great lifting power and great flexibility of movement while in the air.

Another object of. the invention is to utilize the propulsive means of the aeroplane for controlling the direction of flight of the same both laterally and vertically, thus doing away with the necessity of aileprovided for steering purposes.

A third object is to so construct the main plane or wing structure that the area of the same may be decreased when flying at great speeds, when a large supporting area is not as necessary as when flying at low speeds, and which merely adds frictional resistance and retards the speed of the aircraft.

This latter feature made possibleloy the use of the improved type of propeller "shown in my copending application for patent filed January 16th, 1920, Ser. No. 351897, owing to the great inherent lifting or supporting power of such propeller.

A further ob'ect of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device. and

for the purposes for which .it' is desi' ed. These objectsl accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specificationand claims.

In the, drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts 'in the several views.

Figure l is a p ve'elev'ation of the aeroplaneiln flight. r

Fig. 2 is a top plan outline of the same, partly broken away, with the propulsive and control mechanisms emphasized.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the forward end of the machine, showing an angled position the wing structure and propulsive mechanism may assume.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the propeller-driving gears.-

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified and. 7 of the drawings. the numeral 1 de-v notes the fuselage of the 'machine, .posi

tioned in'a suitable position relative to the, forward wing structure or biplane 2 and the rear and smaller biplane 3. a

'Pivoted transversely to the fuselage at-a point substantially central between the planes 2 both vertically and horizontally is a hollow shaft or housing 4, whichsupports the wings and is rigidly secured thereto, forming a turning'axis for the biplane,

each such being-a rigid unit.

Turnably mounted in this housing is a shaft 5 having a bevel gear 6 thereon meshing with-a similar gear 7 mounted to the' shaft ,ef the engine 8 positioned in the fuselage. A gear housing 9 is formed over the gears 6 and 7 integral with the member 4:, and is vertically, slotted at the point where the engine shaft connected to the gear 7' passes therethrough, so that the member 4 may have turning movement relative to said shaft.

On the'shaft 4:, at'poir'its suitably spaced from thefuselage are bevel gears 10, each meshing with' a similar gear 11 mounted on a verticalshaft 12 turnably secured in the ,member 4 and projecting thereabove, on top of which shaft is another bevel gear 13 meshing witha gear 14 at right angles thereto and-to'the shaft 4, which gear is fixed 'on a. shaft 15'secured to a propeller 16 of the type shown in my previously mentioned application forpatent. 4

Both shafts 12 and 15 are turnably paounted in a box, 17, so that they are rigidly held in common plane, while allowing the propeller 16, on account of its bevel gear connections, to turn in a lateral-plane relative .to the member 4 irrespective of the position spective of the motion of the engine.

To control the lateral movement of the propellers as a unit, a common cable 20 connects the boxes 17. while cables 21. pass over pulleys 22 around the outer ends of the quadrants 18 thence to pulleys 23 mounted substantially at the axis of the member 4 at the outer end thereof and thence around a control drum 24 mounted on a shaft 25 controlled by a hand wheel 26 positioned within reach of the aviator of the aeroplane.

By thus passing the cables 21 around pul-. leys positioned at-thepivotal point'of the biplane, .the propellers may be turned in either direction-laterally irrespective of the angular positioning of the wings relative to the fuselage.

, Similar I but preferably smaller propellers 27 are mounted in the rear biplane 3 in the same manner as those in the forward biplane, which may bedriven by the engine 8 or by another independent engine 28 mounted in the fuselage to the rear of the en inc 8.

ateral movement of these propellers is controlled from the common wheel 26 by means of cables .39passing around a drum 30 on the shaft25, these cables passing around said drum in the opposite direction to that of the cables 21 on the drum 24, sothat on turning the wheel 26, the cables 21 will be shifted to move the propellers 16 in one direction while at the same time the propellers 27' will move in the opposite direction, thus giving great flexibility of turning to the aeroplane, and permitting of sharp turns being made in either direction.

To tilt the biplanes and propeller mechanism as a unit about .the shaft 4 as an axis,"

any suitablecontrol means may be used, as for 11151331198,- a worm wheel 31 acting on .a lever 32 plvotedjat one end to the fuselage and flexibly connected at its other end to the t biplane structure; as shown at 33.-

From

the lever 32 a connecting rod 34 may run to a similar lever mechanism connected to the rear blplane', so that'the two may be tilted in'unison when desired to alter the elevation of the aeroplane. In order to automatically lessen the wing or all of the planes may have horizontal blades 36 adapted to overlap one over the other even when outspread, similar to a fan, and pivoted together to the permanent or rigid wing structure as at :37, there being rigid guides 38 above and below the blades and concentric therewith.

The blades are arranged with a' spring 39 which normally holds the same spread out, but when flying at high speed, the pressure of air will automatically cause the blades to fold up, as shown in Fig. 2.

This may 'be accomplished by fastening the spring to all the blades, or by connect ing each adjacent pair to a separate spring, or by some such means as buttons 40 working in slots 41 in theadj acent blades,so that when ope blade has slid over the one underneath, that one will be engaged by the button and slid back over the blade following and so on.

In this'manner thewing area is decreased little by little, and will similarly be .extended as the speed. and air pressure isi'educed. I r

Referring'to the type shown in. Figs. 5 and 6, I have employed the same general structure. and principles of -0peration,but have arranged the propellers for vertical movement'of the wings.

This I accomplish by using apair of vertically spaced and parallel guides ,or quadrants 42 similar to the members 18 on the type first described and also fixed to the wing structure at both ends.

Slidable transversely in these guides is a vertical quadrant or guide 43, concentric with the transverse drive shaft 4*.

The movement of the members 43 is controlled by cables 44 operatively connected to the steering wheel 26f in the same manner as the cables 21 in the first described type.

Slidable vertically in then members 45 are the propeller-shaft journals, to the outer end ofeach of which are cables 46 extending oppositely to the ends 'of the member 45, and passing over pulleys 47 at such ends to the opposed ends of a double-arm member 48 fixed to a sleeve 49"on the shaft 4*. The ends of the arms 48 where the cables connect of course bend ,over into the vertical plane of thepropellen shaft, so that no bind-- ing or slackness will be had when the pro-- pellers are moved laterally.-

The sleeves 49 extend to the fuselage 1,

and are then operatively connected to common hand or foot levers 50 or similar mechanism.

The rear propellers are similarly mounted and actuated in common with 'the forward swinging movement independently of the ones by the. lever 50, or by a separate means,

as may be desired.

.1 have also here shown .ajixiliary wing members 51 pivoted to the upper main wing structure 52. These wings are adapted to slide under the rigid-wing structure so as to reduce the head-0n resistance to the air when in fiight. These turnable'members may be Controlled by any suitable cable or other mechanism, which I have not thought it necessary to show, since it is evident that this is easy to accomplish.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced. such a device as substantially fulfils the object of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:-

1. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a biplane structure pivoted thereto and'adapted for swinging movement in a longitudinal plane relative thereto, propellersmounted centrally of the .planes, therebetween and movable therewith as a unit, a motor in'the fuselage. operatively connected to the propellers, and means for giving lateral swinging movement to the propellers irrespective of the angular position of the wings relative to the fuselage.

2. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a

biplane structure pivoted thereto and adapted for swinging movement in a-longitudinal plane relative thereto, propellers mounted centrally of the planes therebetween and movable therewith as a unit, a motor in the fuselage, means whereby the propellers may be driven from the engine irrespective of the angular positioning of the wings relative to the fuselage, and means for swinging the propellers laterally of the wings without disturbing the driving connection thereof with the engine. p

3. An airplane comprising a fuselage, a biplane structure pivoted thereto and adapted for swinging movement in a longitudinal plane relative thereto, propellers mounted centrally of theplanes therebetween and movable 'therewitlnas a unit, a motor in the fuselage, and means for driving the propellers from the engine irrespective of the angular positioning of the wings relative to the fuselage or the angular lateral positioning of the, propellers relative to the wings, the propellers being arranged for propellers vertically.

swinging movement in a plane parallel to the wings.

4. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an engine therein, a hollow shaft turn'ably mounted on the fuselage transversely thereof, a biplane wing structure fixed'to the shaft and adapted to be turned relative to the fuselage with the shaft as an axis, propellers pivotally mounted on theshaft to 1 swing in a plane parallel to the wings of the biplane, means for so swinging the propeller's at will about their pivotal connectionwith the shaft as an axis and means fordriving the propellers from the engine-irrespective of their angular position relative to the fuselage.

5. An aeroplane comprisinga fuselacge, a

biplane structure pivoted thereto and a apted for swinging movement in a longitudinal plane relative thereto, propellers mounted centrally of the planes therebetween, a motor in the fuselage operatively connected to the propellers at all times, means for swinging the propellers laterally of the wings, and means for independently swinging the 6. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an engine therein, a hollow shaft turnably mounted on the fuselage transversely thereof, a biplane wing structure fixed to the shaft and adapted 'to be turned relative to the fuselage with the shaft as an axis, propellers pivotally mounted on the shaft to swing in a plane parallel to the wings of the biplane, means for swinging the propellers ,in a horizontal plane about their pivotal connection with the shaft as an axis and independent means for swinging the propellers vertically about the shaft as an axis irrespective of the positionot the wings, and the lateral angling of the propellers.

7. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an engine therein, a hollow shaft turnably mounted on the fuselage transversely there- HENRY M. FRANZEN. 

